Excavator



Mar h 231, 1950 OWEN 2,5QL083 EXCAVATOR Filed April 12, 1946 '7Sheets-Sheet l Zi w MW E/VTOR March 2L 1950 w. A. OWEN 5 9 EXCAVATORFiled April 12, 1946 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 LII ll IIIU March 211,, 11950 w.A. OWEN 2,501,033

EXCAVATOR Filed April 12, 1946 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 March 2H,, 1950 w. A.OWEN 2,501,083

EXCAVATOR Filed April 1.2, 1946 '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 F29. 4'. iij l I i JINVENTOR.

W. A. OWEN March 211, 1950 EXCAVATOR 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 12,1946 J0 INVENTOR.

A1 6. M BY aMMCZK-X March 21, 1950 w. A. OWEN J 2,501,083

EXCAVATOR Filed April 12, 1946 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVEN TOR. 11/. a. 04m

March 231 1950 w. A. OWEN 2,501,033

INVENTOR.

Patented Mar. 21, 1950 1 UNITED STATES PATENT I OFFICE Applicatio: :2,881,809

My present invention has for. its object to provide an excavatingmachine especially adapted for digging cemetery graves which embodiessuitable mechanism for digging rectangular pits having perpendicularside walls.

Another object of my invention is to provide a transportable apparatuscapable of being anchored over the site of the work comprising a mainframe constituting a stationary superstructure and a vertically movableframe carrying the digging devices which may be lowered as earth isremoved until the maximum depth of the exvacation is reached.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a successionof digging tools mounted on an endless conveyor carried on a verticallyadjustable frame which are so arranged that the over all dimensions ofthe excavation are defined and accurately maintained from top to bottomthereof.

My invention also comprehends a frame supported for vertical movement toeffect a cut of desired depth carrying soil removing implementsoperating in such a manner that as the loosened earth is removed it iselevated and deposited, upon a movable conveyor also carried on saidframe by means of which it is transported in a transverse direction anddeposited at one side of the excavation.

To these and other ends my invention embodies other improvements all aswill be fully described in the following specification, the novelfeatures of the invention being set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine em bodying my invention,showing the excavator mechanism with certain parts of the framework insection, the inner frame being in a partially extended position.

Figure 2 is a rear end elevation thereof, parts of the outer frame beingshown in section.

Figure 3 is a top plan view, parts of the top of the outer and innerframe being omitted to show the underlying mechanism.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view showingthe inner frame taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the upper end of thevertically movable frame showing the conveyor driving motor and connec--tions and illustrating the 'operation of an excavating tool indischarging its load onto the transversely movable conveyor.

Figure 6 is a detail view showing. in side elevation, of one of thedigging tools.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of one of the side trimmers shown in Fig. 6.

Figure 7 is a similar view showing one of the earth carriers or scoopswhich are associated with the tools shown in Fig. 6.

Figure 8 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view through one of thecorners of the outer and inner frames showing the manner of guiding oneof them upon the other.

Figure 9 is a detail side view of the parts shown in Fig. 8.

Figure 10 is a top plan view showing the structural features of the mainframe.

Figure 11 is a diagrammatic circuit of the knocker for dislodgingaccumulations of earth adhering to the scoops.

Similar reference characters in the several figaccording to the speedwith which the work progresses.

The chassis I comprises the side rails united at their forward endswhere they are connected to the axle 2 carrying the forward wheels 3. Attheir rear ends the rails are connected to a cross piece 4 and slightlyahead of it are brackets extending laterally of the side pieces whichcarry apair of rear wheels 5.

At the forward end of the frame in rear of the axle 2 is a cross piece 6on the forward side of which and within the frame pieces I are theforward anchoring devices 6"; similar devices I being provided at therear of the chassis and located on theouter sides of the frame piecesand within the extended ends of the rear cross piece 4. These anchoringdevices comprise vertically extending rods a, as shown in Fig. 1, whichare threaded in bosses b on the frame and carry foot pieces 8, the upperends of the rods being squared to receive a wrench.

Extending upwardly from the chassis is an outer rectangular frame havingthe parallel corner posts 9 at the four corners of the chassis eachcomposed of angle iron and disposed with their inner angles facinginwardly. Theseposts are connected at their upper ends by the top siderails l0, end rails ll, intermediate cross bars I2 and diagonal tie rodsl3. The top of the frame is further braced by triangular corner braces Hwhich carry in their lower sides bosses l5 which constitute thestationary bearings for four vertically extending threaded shafts I6.From these shafts the inner frame is suspended and their length-istherefore such as to permit this frame to be moved downwardly for themaximum depth of the intendedexcavation.

The feed screws 16 for controlling the vertical movement of theexcavating mechanism are connected for simultaneous movement and to thisend I provide each of them, above the top of the main frame, with asprocket l1 and around the several sprockets an endless chain I8 istrained. One of the pair of forward shafts I6 is provided with a secondsprocket I9 which is connected by a chain to a sprocket 2| on the upperend of a shaft 22 which extends downwardly in a central position on themain frame for manipulation by means of a hand wheel 23 to which it isconnected through bevel gears 24, as shown in Fig. l.

The excavating mechanism comprises an inner frame also composed of fourcorner posts 25 which are guided on the outer frame posts 9 by pairs ofanti-friction rollers 25 journalecl at right angles to each other onbrackets 25 and bearing on the inner angular faces of the posts 8. Theposts 25 are also angular in cross section and are connected at theirupper ends by side and end cross bars 25 and 21, two of which carry nuts28 receiving the regulating screws l6 by which the elevation andoperating position of this frame is regulated. Likewise the corner posts25 are united at their lower ends by side pieces Ill-3| and end pieces32-33. Cross pieces 34 on the bottom of the frame form supports for amotor 35 as a source of power for the conveyor. The inner frame isvirtually a cage like structure for carrying the movable excavatingconveyor. It is further provided on each side with vertical members 36and 3'! carrying bearings for two transversely extending shafts 38-39disposed at opposite sides of the center of the frame, which areprovided with spaced alined sprockets 38* -38 and 39-39".

respectively. The shaft 38 has one end extended exteriorly of the framewhere it is equipped with a large gear 40 meshing with a pinion 4| on adrive wheel 42 driven from motor 35 by belting connections 43-44 (seeFig. 5).

The lower end of the inner frame has an extension carrying the lower endof the conveyor which when the frame is retracted supports the conveyorabove the ground surface and when the frame moves downwardly carries itto the maximum depth of the grave to be dug. This extension comprises asupplementary frame composed of side pieces carrying bearings for twoshafts 5l-52 parallel to shafts 38 and 3!, but spaced somewhat furtherapart each carrying sprockets 5|*----52 complementary to and inalinement with the four sprockets on shafts 38 and 38. The spacing ofthe shafts 5l-52, is important as this determines the length of thegrave and to this end as well as to utilize this factor as the means ofmaintaining the conveyor chains tight I adjustably connect the sidebearings 50 using a member, somewhat in the nature of a turnbuckle,comprising two relatively adjustable parts 53 and 54 one of which is ascrew passing through ears 55 on the other part and regulated by nuts56. The shaftsll-H, thus connected are further supported in relativelyfixed position, but also are adjustably held. in relation to the shafts38-39 by pairs of struts each of which extend diagonally in twodirections from the bottom of the inner frame to said shaft bearings 50.v

Principally for reasons of stability the machine as a whole is made ofsuch width that the inner frame is somewhat longer and wider than thatof the standard grave. Another reason for this construction is also toprovide the necessary lateral and longitudinal stability in theextension frame when this is fully extended for the purpose of ensuringaccuracy in vertically trimming the ends and side walls of the grave.These objects are accomplished by extending downwardly from the bottomside pieces 30-3! of the inner frame pairs of struts 51-58 and 59-50.These are connected at their upper ends at points within extensions ofthe vertical ends of the excavation as shown in Fig. 1 but are locatedoutside or beyond extensions of the vertical planes of the side walls,as shown in Fig. 2. In extending these struts downwardly I cause one ofeach pair to cross the other and cross each pair with the other pairthus obtaining maximum stability against the possibility of theextension shifting under strains imparted to it either lengthwise orsidewise of the grave.

The actual digging of the excavation is accomplished by a plurality ofsets of tools carried on the endless conveyor at equidistant pointscomposed of two parallel chains 6l-62 trained over the eight sprocketsmounted on the upper pair of shafts 38-39 and the lower pair of shafts51-52, and buckets or scoops arranged to trail behind the cutters andcarry away the earth as it is loosened. The digging tools are a seriesof spring harrow teeth comprising plow points 63 carried on theextremities of spring arms 64 mounted in spaced relation on drag bars 64extending across the conveyor chains Gl-62. The ends of the drag barsextend beyond the conveyor chains and carry trimmers 66 which have knifeedges curving rearwardly, the points and major portions of their outersides being set to determine the width of the grave to be excavated. Atpoints intermediate the foregoing cutting tools I locate scoops 61formed of sheet metal having the same configuration as the harrow arms.These are attached to bases 68 pivoted on pintles 89 held in brackets 10fixed to corresponding links of the chains 6l-62. The scoops arenormally held in parallel relation to said chains by coil springs 1! andas the brackets 10 cause them to be offset somewhat from the chains, Isecure to the latter on succeeding links stops 12. Each base 68 isprovided with an extension 13 projecting beyond the inner sides of thechains and carrying a roller 14 for engaging a cam projection 15 tocause the scoop to be tripped to dump its load as the scoop arrives atthe top of its flight.

The direction of movement of the conveyor chains is indicated by arrowsin Figs. 1 and 5 from which it will be seen that the scoops follow thediggers and gather the earth as it is loosened ahead of them while theyare moving horizontally. Thereafter the scoops carry the collected loadupwardly in their curved bottoms until they reach the point where thechains 6l-82 pass into a horizontal position as they leave the sprockets39-39 At this point I locate the cam 15 which is an inclined stationarysurface lying in the path of the crank arms 13. As the rollers 14carried on these arms successively engage the cam surface the scoops arerocked into a vertical position for the purpose of discharging theirloads.

Inasmuch as there may on occasion be a tendency for earth to adhere tothe scoops I provide an automatic device for jarring them while in theirinverted position. During the travel of the scoops and while they arestill held in the upside down position they pass beneath an electricswitch control member in the form of a plunger. 80 and move itsufliciently to close a pair of contacts 8| in the circuit of a powerfulelectromagnet .2. Upon energization this magnet attracts an armature 83the lower end of which forms a hammer 84 and is so placed as to strikethe free end or lip of the scoop. The blow thus imparted to the scoopwhich is of spring material causes it to reverberate to free itself ofsubstances that may be clinging to its surfaces.

It will be observed that the point at which the scoops are overturnedlies approximately midway between the shafts 38 and 39. In this space Ipro- ,vide a transversely extending conveyor belt 85 onto which earthdischarged from the scoops i directed by the upwardly diverging guideplates ll and 81. The belt 85 is supported and driven alternately by apair of rollers or broad faced pulleys 88 and 89 located in parallelismat opposite sides of the inner frame or cage. Shafts 90 and SI,.iournaled in brackets 92-93 on the sides of the inner frame, extendtoward the rear si e thereof and are adapted to be connected b pairs ofbevel gears 92" and 93 to a cross shaft 94. The latter is iournaled inbearings 95 and is movabl longitudinally therein by a lever arm 96pivoted at 91 having a bifurcated end engaging in a grooved collar 98whereby either set of pinions 92' or 93 may be engaged to alternatelvrotat the shafts 90 and 9| according to whether it i desired to causethe conveyor 85 to dischar e at the right or the left hand side of themachine. Shaft 94 carries at one end a sprocket 99 which is driven bv achain I00 trained over a sprocket IUI on shaft 39.

Inasmuch as it is intended to discharge the earth removed from a graveat one side or the other thereof according to the terrain or otherproximate surroundings short chute sections 102-403 are mounted on thesides of the inner frame below the belt pulleys 88 and 89. These mayalso be extended sufficiently to discharge into a truck or othersuitable container or into a temporary.extension I04 if the earth is tobe piled adjacent the excavation.

I c aim as my invention:

1. In a mach ne for diggin excavations of fixed length, breadth anddepth, the combination with a supporting framework, and an innervertically movable frame therein of greater area than the excavation. ofa bottom extension centrally suspended from the inner frame sufficientto reach the bottom of the excavation when said frame is in itslowermost position on the supporting framework, said extension beingcomposed of longitudinally adjustable struts disposed crosswise, a pairof spaced parallel shafts carried by the struts and provided withsprockets, a second pair of shafts carried on said inner frame andhaving sprockets, conveyor chains trained around said sprockets, diggingtools mounted on said chains, an earth removing scoop also mounted onthe chains in rear of the tools and means for driving the conveyor.

2. In a machine for digging excavations of fixed length, breadth anddepth, the combina- 6 tion with a supporting framework, and an innervertically movable frame therein of greater area than the excavation, ofa bottom extension centrally suspended from the inner frame sumcient toreach the bottom'oi' the excavation when said frame is in its lowermostposition on the supporting framework, pairs of parallel shafts carryingsprockets mounted in alinement on the inner frame and on said extension,conveyor chains trained around said sprockets, a cross bar connected tosaid chains, sidewall truing tools carried on the ends of the bar,digging tools mounted intermediately on the bar, an earth removing scooptrailing said tools and pivoted on the chains, means for tripping thescoop at a given v point in movement of the conveyor to deposit itscontents and means for driving the conveyor.

3. In a machine for digging excavations of fixed length, breadth anddepth, the combination with a supporting framework, and an innervertically movable frame therein of greater area than the excavation, ofa bottom extension centrally suspended from the inner frame sufllcientto reach the bottom of the excavation when said frame is in itslowermost position on the supporting framework, pairs of parallel shaftscarrying sprockets mounted in alinement on the inner frame and on saidextension, conveyor chains trained around said sprockets, a cross barconnected to said chains, sidewall truing tools carried on the ends ofthe bar, digging tools mounted intermediately on the bar, an earthremoving scoop pivoted on the chains in trailing position to the toolsand having a tripping finger, a cam surface for engaging said fingerdisposed to deposit the contents of the scoop as it approaches the topof its movement on the 'conveyor and means for driving the latter.

4. In a machine for digging excavations of fixed length, breadth anddepth, the combination with a supporting framework, and an innervertically movable frame therein of greater area than the excavation, ofa bottom extension centrally suspended from the inner frame sufficientto reach the bottom of the excavation when said frame is in itslowermost position on the supporting framework, pairs of parallel shaftscarrying sprockets mounted in alinement on the inner frame and on saidextension, conveyor chains trained around said sprockets, a. cross barconnected to said chains, sidewall truing tools carried on the ends ofthe bar, digging tools mounted intermediately on the bar, an earthremoving scoop pivoted on the chains in trailing position to the toolsand having a tripping finger, a cam surface for engaging said fingerdisposed to deposit the contents of the scoop as it approaches the topof its movement on the conveyor, a belt conveyor extending transverselyon the inner frame in position to receive the contents of the scoop andmeans for driving both conveyors continuously.

5. In a grave digging machine, the combina-- tion with a conveyorcomposed of endless chains, lower and upper sets of sprockets supportingthe chains, disposed to provide a lower reach which determines themovement of digging tools to cut an excavation the full length and widthof a grave and upward and downward reaches inclined toward each other tocause said tools to pass downwardly and upwardly without cuttingengagement with the end walls of the grave as the depth of the latterincreases'downwardly, a vertically adjustable frame carrying saidsprockets, cross bars on the chains, truing tools on the ends of thebars for cutting and maintaining the side walls of the graveperpendicular. spring arms mounted intermediately on the bars carryingplow points for loosening earth at the ends of the grave and across itsbottom as the conveyor descends, scoops on the conveyor trailing thetools and extending across the width 01 the grave for removing theloosened earth and means for driving the conveyor.

6. In a machine for digging excavations, the combination with an outerframe, a vertically adjustable inner frame therein and pairs of parallelshafts on the latter carrying sprockets, of conveyor chains trainedaround thesprockets. sets of digging tools carried in spaced relation onthe conveyor, earth removing scoop located intermediate the sets oftools and pivoted on the conveyor, means for tripping the scoops at agiven point in the movement of the conveyor to deposit their contents,an electrically operated hammer arranged to strike the scoops when intheir inverted position, comprising a circuit having a normally openswitch arranged to be closed to energize an electro-magnet and operatesaid hammer after the contents of each scoop has been deposited, andmeans for driving the conveyor.

' WILLIAM A. OWEN.

8 nuzamcns 0mm file of this patent:

' Number Name Date 356,450 Coleman Jan. 25. 1887 1,023,156 Kosmin Apr.18, 181: 1,157,658 Maahek Oct. 18, 1818 1,341,138 Kincade May :3, 18001,865,748 Thorn Jan. 18, 1021 0,710,413 Cothay Apr. 23, 1838 11,782,478Ruth Nov. 25, 1010 1,866,037 Heim et a1. July 5, m: 15 2,207,053Fivecoate et al July 0, 1940 2,357,583 Franco Sept. 5, 1944 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 80 134,548

Great Britain July 15, mo

